Author Biography

From the author: I love learning about Jesus, the angels, and the saints, so a book with this topic has been in the back of my mind. I created an original version as a gift for my grandchildren. I made it very personal for them. The saints I included were connected to their names. They loved it! The other reason I created this book was a little selfish. I wanted the kids to take some spiritual reading material to church. Superheroes and ninja books at church just weren’t cutting it for me. The “grandkids’ version” turned out so nicely that I thought maybe others would like something similar. I expanded the original version, created all the coloring pages, wrote stories that I thought would be interesting for kids and adults, and out came “Jesus, Angels, and Very Special Saints.” Even as an adult, it’s difficult to read about many of the saints because they were martyred for their faith. I wanted this book to be positive and uplifting, not a scary one for kids, so all of the stories focus on the saints’ lives and generous deeds, minus the scary parts.
In a former life, Ms. Paglia was an elementary teacher in Pennsylvania. She and her husband have three grown children, five grandchildren, and a little pup named Bella. "Grammy Pags" enjoys gardening, tap dancing, yoga, and, of course, writing stories for kids! Ms. Paglia is a member of SCBWI, PennWriters, and WestPA Authors.

Book Review

Reviewed by Kristen Van Kampen for Readers' Favorite

Jesus, Angels, and Very Special Saints: A Story Book to Color by Rhonda Paglia teaches young readers about Jesus, angels, and many well known saints. The book describes Jesus's life, from how an angel appeared to Mary to how Jesus died on the cross. The book also explains what an angel is. Finally, the book teaches about saints like Joan of Arc, Saint Patrick and Saint George. The book also goes through a few prayers, like the Grace before meals, and the Lord's Prayer (Our Father).

Jesus, Angels, and Very Special Saints: A Story Book to Color by Rhonda Paglia is a great way to teach younger children about Jesus, God, and the Catholic religion. The book would also be very useful when someone is trying to pick their confirmation saint, because the book teaches about many famous saints. People will feel inspired by the stories of many saints, like the story of Joan of Arc. The book includes a few verses from the Bible that have to do with the pictures. Children will enjoy colouring in the pictures, drawn by illustrator Rhonda Paglia, which show each person, saint, or angel very well. The book is well written and descriptive. The book also teaches the words of a few well known prayers. Author Rhonda Paglia does a great job of explaining angels to young readers. I would recommend Jesus, Angels, and Very Special Saints by Rhonda Paglia to young children.